A vehicle parking apparatus is employed to enable two vehicles to be parked in a surface area that approximately corresponds to the area of a standard vehicle parking space. More particularly, the vehicle parking apparatus includes a platform onto which a first vehicle is driven. The apparatus then raises the platform and the vehicle thereon a sufficient distance to enable a second vehicle to be parked underneath.
Vehicle parking apparatuses of this type are widely used in urban areas of the United States where the land available for parking vehicles is extremely limited and where property values and building costs are extremely high. For example, prior art devices of this type have been employed in open parking lots in New York to approximately double the number of cars that can be parked. In many European, South American and Asian cities, the parking problems are even more acute, and prior art vehicle parking devices are very widely used.
It is believed that parking problems in urban areas in both the United States and other countries will become worse as populations continue to increase, open spaces in urban areas becomes less available and vehicles become more prevalent.
To date, the above described vehicle parking apparatus has been widely used in open vehicle parking lots and to a considerably lesser extent in vehicle parking garages. The lower usage of vehicle parking apparatuses in parking garages is partly attributable to the height requirements of the parking apparatus. For example, an extremely effective prior art vehicle parking apparatus is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,209,276 which issued to the applicant herein on June 24, 1980. The disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 4,209,276 is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. The parking apparatus shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,209,276 includes a base having a pair of spaced apart upstanding stanchions extending therefrom. The stanchions are spaced from one another a sufficient distance to enable a vehicle to be driven therebetween. A pair of hydraulic piston and cylinder assemblies are rigidly mounted respectively to the stanchions to extend upwardly from the tops of the stanchions. The pistons are connected to a platform or ramp onto which the vehicle may be driven. The platform is movable along the stanchions under the action of the hydraulic piston and cylinder assembly. Thus, the hydraulically actuated withdrawal of the pistons into the corresponding cylinders will lift the platform with the vehicle thereon a distance equal to the movement of the piston which must be sufficient to enable a second vehicle to be driven between the stanchions and under the platform. To ensure that the vehicle on the platform is elevated evenly despite the possibility of uneven weight distribution in the vehicle, the apparatus shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,209,276 includes stabilizer bar linkages which extend from the base to the platform to stabilize the platform and to provide an even lifting of the vehicle.
Despite the many advantages of the vehicle parking apparatus shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,209,276, the apparatus defined by the stanchions and the large pistons extending up from the stanchions occupies a total height of approximately 11' 4", which exceeds the floor to ceiling height in many parking structures.
Another prior art parking apparatus is shown in British Patent No. 2,051,004 which issued to Roshier on Mar. 16, 1983. The apparatus shown in British Patent No. 2,051,004 is very similar to the prior art vehicle parking apparatus shown in the above described U.S. Pat. No. 4,209,276. However, the apparatus shown in British Patent No. 2,051,004 includes a piston and cylinder assembly wherein the cylinder is mounted to the base adjacent the stanchion and wherein the piston is connected to a vertical member extending upwardly from the platform on which the vehicle is parked. Thus, the pushing movement of the piston from the cylinder acts through the vertical member to lift the platform on which the vehicle is supported a distance exactly equal to the movement of the piston. The apparatus shown in British Patent No. 2,051,004 has several deficiencies. In particular, it is generally considered undesirable to provide a piston/cylinder apparatus, such as this, wherein the work is done on the pushing movement of the piston. More particularly, the relatively slender piston remains substantially entirely exposed and under compression throughout the entire period that a vehicle is supported in an elevated condition on the platform. An uneven weight distribution can create moments in the piston with a likelihood of bending or buckling. To prevent buckling, the piston must have a relatively large cross section, thereby adding to the cost of the piston and cylinder assembly. Inadvertent contact with the piston can easily occur in the environment of the parking lot or garage, thus further increasing maintenance requirements. Additionally, in the elevated condition of the vehicle, the piston would extend to a height beyond the platform by a distance equal to the length of the vertical member connecting the piston to the platform.
In view of the above, it is an object of the subject invention to provide a parking apparatus that can be used in many indoor parking structures.
Another object of the subject invention is to provide a vehicle parking apparatus that has a lower height than prior art vehicle parking devices.
Another object of the subject invention is to provide a low profile vehicle parking apparatus that enables the vehicle to be lifted on the pulling stroke of the piston and cylinder assembly.
Still a further object of the subject invention is to provide a vehicle parking apparatus that effectively coordinates the lifting members with the stabilizing members to ensure an efficient and stable lifting movement within a low profile space envelope.